Liberty State Park
A green oasis in Jersey City with spectacular views of the harbor
With a spectacular backdrop of the harbor, Liberty State Park offers visitors plenty to explore and learn as well as providing them with that postcard photo opportunity. Given to the nation by New Jersey in honor of the bicentennial in 1976, the park is just a quick trip across the harbor and is home to natural areas, local history, and educational programs for the whole family.
Located in the most densely populated state in the nation, Liberty State Park is a precious 1,112 acres of open space. Less then 2,000 feet from the Statue of Liberty, the park offers up-close views from a two-mile-long waterfront promenade. Visitors can even hop on a ferry to visit the Statue and Ellis Island.
It is this proximity to New York and these famed sites that has helped shape the history of Liberty State Park. The park was originally the location of a major railroad terminal which welcomed over half of the immigrants who were processed at Ellis Island between 1892 and 1920. At the railroad terminal, these new Americans chose a train and ventured into the nation to begin their lives.
Liberty State Park is home to over 124 acres of natural areas made up of different ecosystems including a salt marsh. The Green Park area features playgrounds, picnic areas, and fields of wildflowers. Visitors looking to reconnect with the outdoors can stroll along the nature path through the marsh and keep watch for the many species of birds that make their home in this urban oasis.
Just a quick ferry or train ride away, Liberty State Park is a nearby respite for New Yorkers; the park offers a multitude of trails, exhibits, and photo opportunities as well as the newly-renovated Liberty Science Center. Rich in stories of immigration and commerce, the park is a great chance for visitors to reconnect with both nature and the story of the harbor.
